Hi everyone! Last Wednesday I posted a [url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1714240/view/3765630474339512168]breakdown of the map rework[/url] that is going to come to the next update, and initially the intention was for the update to be solely about this. However, I am happy to announce that the [b]metaprogression implementation[/b] has advanced at a much quicker pace than expected! Because of this, the next update will be the [b]"Map & Metaprogression Update"[/b], which will probably be one of the [b]biggest in the whole Early Access period[/b]! We're been working on both of these reworks/mechanics in some form since August! Before I break down how the new metaprogression system, as always, [u][b]I would really appreciate it if you left a review! It's the best way to support the game[/b][/u]! [h1]General Philosophy[/h1] Soul Stalker in general is all about strategizing with your builds, and because of this traditional metaprogression doesn't fit with the game as it would become more of a power fantasy, going directly against the game's strategic DNA. Any system we consider must do the following: [list] [*] Rewards you for each run, whether successful or not. [*] Incentivizes you to play at higher ascensions due to increased rewards. [*] Allows you to get stronger over time as you unlock more options to create more interesting builds rather than getting stronger in a strict numerical sense. [/list] If you've been following the Steam update posts, you'll see that I was s[url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1714240/view/6250485953043976694]eeking feedback a while ago[/url], and I decided to take all of the comments into account for the new system! [h1]Buying Weapons and Trinkets[/h1] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43508484/65c16b42662f66e89ccd07983bae4da06afce23b.gif[/img] In short, all characters are now able to [b]start with any weapon, or any trinket[/b]. The weapons and trinkets that used to be the default starters for characters are still shown as "recommended", but you can pass the page and choose any other from the game.... As long as you buy it! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43508484/78645ea2782b58e743d7d9780abfdc06e891bfe6.gif[/img] As you can see in the gif above,[b] all weapons are choosable[/b], it's just that the stronger ones are more expensive. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43508484/62204f4a059fd4697b7d3cc6d5c2b798bb21d180.gif[/img] As you can see in the gif above, [b]all trinkets are also choosable[/b]! Being able to choose whichever starting trinket is the [b]biggest change to the game[/b] in my opinion, once you unlock everything you can start with the most busted combos imaginable (which will be a huge bonus for climbing higher ascensions)! [h1]New Currency[/h1] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43508484/0268a3eb0d67f8fb79d880c8ff65cba4f8c91ac6.png[/img] In order to allow the purchasing of starting weapons and trinkets, a [b]new currency has been implemented - Souls[/b]. Whenever you finish a run (whether you win or lose), you will now get souls based on your performance. Not only do these allow the purchasing of starters, but we've also added the feature of [b]tracking your highest souls gained[/b] in a single run so you can try to climb ascensions with the intention of getting the highest score possible! An added bonus is that when we're sure that this is all fully stable, we'll implement [b]online leaderboards[/b] so that you can see where you stand compared to the rest of the world! As an aside, we recently announced a new game [b]in the same genre as Soul Stalker[/b], and it has a free demo out as well! Try it out with the box below, I hope you enjoy it! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2491670/Wanted_Shadows Anyways, that's it for this update, and as always, [b]I would really appreciate it if you left a review[/b]! It's the best way to support the game! I'm super excited to show you all what we have in store for Soul Stalker for this huge Maps & Metaprogression Update! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1714240/Soul_Stalker/ - Conrad, Lead Developer